What Hong Kong needs to do to be a World Class City

I've been home a week now, and I have had time to reflect on what could make Hong Kong better for everyone; the people that live there, the people that visit, and the expats that choose to make Hong Kong their home. This is based on personal observation, and nothing scientific.

I remember the first time I came to Hong Kong in September 2005, working for Ocean Park (see previous entries about how much of a pain in the ass it is to work there), and I was completely impressed. It was in part modern, reaching towards an uncertain future due to the handover back to the Central Government, but so steeped in tradition and the past. I commented to a taxi driver, who loved anything Filipino, spoke great English, who told me, "Wait until you have been here a while, you will see a side of Hong Kong that isn't so nice. It is nice for you because you are a Westerner, but wait until you see what it is like for the people who live here."

Since then, I started to realize that that taxi driver was right. In the past 3 years particularly, I have started to realize a few things. All this made me conclude, that Hong Kong is a modern city with its share of problems and issues they must address.

So here's the laundry list:

Media needs to be transparent. What we see/read in the English press is not what the typical Hong Konger would see in the Chinese press. We don't get to hear about the drama, or if we do, it is often sugar coated, so it doesn't appear as bad as it is. We want to understand what's going on and be part of it.

The Hong Kongers need stop using language as a weapon of exclusion. It is sad when employers have to prove that being able to read/speak Chinese is a requirement of a job. Why not do what Singapore does, and make English the medium of commerce, education and government, and use that as the MAIN language? I'm tired of being called names in front of me, when I know damn well what they're saying. I'm tired of being told that speaking English is fine, but people speak in Cantonese in front of me, and not including me in the conversation, is a major issue for me. Not only is it rude, it is counterproductive for any interaction.

Speaking of exclusion, due to the large expat community, both white and from other Asian countries, there should be more efforts to include them in daily life. Sha sha tangs and hot pot restaurants should have bilingual menus, after all we should be able to order anything, anywhere, and enjoy probably some of the best cuisine Hong Kong has to offer. It took me years to finally remember the word, but I would love to be able to tick off Tofu Balls on the hot pot order sheet, rather than have to ask: "Lei yao mo san gan?"/Do you have tofu balls (or golden thread tofu balls)?

Stop the widespread discrimination for those expats who are non-white AND the non-Chinese resident population. After all, the Indians and Pakistanis, most of them were born and raised here, their ancestors were brought by the English as their servants and labourers. The Filipino, Malaysian and Indonesian nannys, maids, domestics deserve better respect and a decent living wage. Though it is the law, profiling based on ethnicity is another way that government perpetuate official harassment, and make it quite clear that WE DON'T BELONG HERE, even though the expats pay Hong Kong taxes, and are an intregal part of Hong Kong life.

Everyone needs to learn how to treat everyone equally. Because of my 'Asian' face, I get treated better than my white friends. Until I open my big mouth, then I get the same treatment, as they. And the 'local' price versus 'tourist' price is just plain WRONG. I've gotten hosed a few times over this, it doesn't feel so great, and makes me go to other places to shop. I think I'll do my shopping in Sham Shui Po, where the hawkers are more fair with the prices.

Making conditions better for the Hong Kongers. Get a minimum wage. Build more public housing, and improve the estates that are falling apart. Make cage houses illegal. Tell Bowtie to get a clue, after all, he doesn't want to suffer the fate of Marie Antoinette, since he said to a professional couple in 2009 about the lack of affordable housing in Kowloon: "Move to New Territories, then." Fix the air pollution problem as best they can. Improve access to mental health services for everyone (refer to my post about the guy killing himself).

The citizens needs to stop being apathetic and take advantage of their rights under the Basic Law, asserting themselves before those rights go away. They should fight the Central Government to make sure their rights are protected and the Basic Law is observed on their part. The infighting in LEGCO is not for show, there are people that actually care about what happens, who cares if they just happen to be politicians. They need to take responsibilities to insure their democratic way of governance is protected for the benefit of the HK, and not the Central Governement.

Teach the children morals and ethics, as they don't understand that if you lie to save face, and get caught, everyone loses face. Teach them to learn on their own, encourage independent thinking, and make them understand that cheating is bad. Make them learn responsibility for their actions. They need to learn the benefits of collaboration for the good of the whole.

Take pride in your cultural heritage. Stop tearing things down to make more office buildings or car parks. Otherwise, there won't be anything of the past left for locals and tourists to appreciate.

I'm glad that there are helpful people around. But, don't hide behind the language or cultural barriers in order to not help. We need your help sometimes. Because of this, I have had to depend on friends to help AND/OR be more prepared in order to do something simple like order from a menu. It can make living here difficult for someone who's not used to being independent or doesn't know their resources.

Hong Kongers need to stop being so self-centred and absorbed. I understand it is very Confuscian, to stay to themselves, and look out for their own survival and self-interests, in order to save face and maintain social order. But really, forcing the SPCA to take their pet because it doesn't match your decor, or you don't have time to take proper care of your pet, is that right? Or is it necessary to push and shove your way to the front of the queue, just because you're in a hurry? It is not just about you.

Trust me, I STILL love Hong Kong. It has so much to offer, and so much potential. I love the friends I have made, the things I have been able to do, and the food I've been able to eat. People may think I'm whining, and I should get over it, because it is another country and culture. Since Hong Kong professes to be a world class city, it needs to be called out on the stuff they need to fix. However, they need to get out of the tunnels to see the world as it really is.